Liquefied and chemical hydrogen storage in contemporary small drones' fuel cell propulsion systems

Abstract

Contemporary manufactured small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, drones) use mostly electric engines for their drive. Application of such propulsion systems need elaborating of efficient and light electric energy sources. There are used at present mainly two methods of on-board energy storing. First is usage of possibly efficient batteries. The second method is production of electric energy on-board with use of fuel cells (FC). That way requires the pure hydrogen fuel to be supplied to FC. Hydrogen can be stored in compressed state in pressure bottles or in liquid state in cryogenic tanks. The other much safer way of hydrogen storage is use of the chemical compounds containing that element. This article relates only to liquid and chemical hydrogen storage systems being in experimental phase yet. The results of researches in this field can determine the direction of further development. The chosen examples of experimental liquid hydrogen storage for the needs of small drones' fuelling have been presented in article.